HONG KONG, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam will appoint Andrew Cheung Kui-nung as the chief justice of the Court of Final Appeal.

Lam announced the decision to accept the recommendation of the Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission on the appointment at a press conference before the weekly meeting of the Executive Council on Tuesday.

Cheung, a permanent judge of the Court of Final Appeal, will succeed Geoffrey Ma Tao-li who will retire in January 2021 after reaching the retirement age. The appointment, still subject to the endorsement of the HKSAR Legislative Council (LegCo), is expected to take effect upon Ma's retirement.

Lam said the rule of law is the cornerstone of Hong Kong's stability and prosperity and an independent Judiciary plays a pivotal and indispensable role in upholding the rule of law and in ensuring the fair administration of justice.

"The HKSAR government has been rendering all necessary support to the Judiciary in sustaining effective judicial administration," Lam said.

According to the Basic Law, the HKSAR chief executive appoints judges of the courts of the HKSAR on the recommendation of an independent commission composed of local judges, persons from the legal profession and eminent persons from other sectors, and the endorsement of the LegCo on the appointment is also needed.